BBC Eyes HD

The British Broadcasting Corp. has signed a multimillion dollar deal with satellite transmission provider SES Global to roll out HDTV service next year, according to a report in the U.K. newspaper The Guardian. The agreement would help the BBC keep pace with BSkyB, the U.K. direct-to-home satellite provider that will launch an HDTV service early next year.

The Guardian report says BSkyB is looking at adding three satellite transponders -- enough space to broadcast nine HD channels -- and will also launch an HD digital-video recorder service.